I've seen a lot of lopsided game 1's so I'm not really looking too deeply into what I saw. However, Boozer has to be more of a force than he was in game one if they're going to be successful. Other than Kobe, I don't think the Lakers really have anyone to match up with him.

Also, I don't expect for Deron Williams to play as poorly as he did either. All in all, I'm thinking the Lakers will clinch the series in Game 6 in Utah.

_________________
Kid Cairo's Boers & Bernstein YouTube Channel

Kid Cairo: 2013 March Madness Tournament Winner!

"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

Damn ESPN is retarded with their Laker love. Yesterday was a 4 point game with 4 minutes left and ESPN is asking their NBA panel if the Jazz can win 1 game in the series. Thats just stupid. This Lakers team is nowhere near as dominant as the 2001 team. They were outrebounded by 17 yesterday. If the Jazz even shoot 40%, which is pretty bad, they win that game.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

After the Hawks-Celtics series, this is what my opinion on the Celtics has come to be- I feel they're akin to a 'rent-a-team', a la the Florida Marlins championship teams

I'm not saying that because they beat the Hawks and i'm bitter...Garnett has long been my favorite player and I'd love to see him win a title and I think if anyone he really deserves it

But despite that I just can't get behind the team at all. They just seem like a fantasy league team, a NBA Live team. They have no history of playing together. A bunch of hangers-on (Posey, Cassell) latching on to win a title.

As much as I can't stand the Spurs, I at least get the (appropriate) sense that they're a TEAM. I watched Rondo dribble around for 10 seconds and shoot an airball 3 in game 6 whereas Duncan took the gutsy 3 and hit it in game 1. Where were Garnett and Allen?

I just think they TOTALLY rely on their talent to win. Which will certainly get them past the Hawks and most likely the Cavs since Lebron doesn't have enough help. But my feelings about them vs. the Pistons and West victor have changed. I think they're in serious danger against the Pistons and if they get past them then the Lakers/Spurs/Hornets. They're not going to crush every other team at home like they did the Hawks, and they're going to have to win on the road eventually

pretty sloppy game in 1st half but at least its tight, getting very sick of blowouts in this playoffs. The CP - TP matchup might decide this one in the 2nd half! I have to get up at 5:50 tomorrow lets let it be a close game! Apparently NO has some concept how to D the basic screen and roll unlike another team we know of.

_________________
"Stay out of courtrooms-but if you must go in be Well Armed and Don't compromise. You are innocent, remember that. They are guilty" -- Dr. Gonzo

This Spurs/Hornets game is a good one.

I advise you guys to flip it on. It's on TNT.

yet another blowout, but at least the team I am rooting for CP has the amazing skill to beat his guy and in less than a second when he is around the frieethrow line or 15 feet from the hoop be able to effectively dish it out for a wide open jump shop, alley loop for a dunk, or put on the speed skates for a playground laypup, amazing.

_________________
"Stay out of courtrooms-but if you must go in be Well Armed and Don't compromise. You are innocent, remember that. They are guilty" -- Dr. Gonzo

I'm rooting for the Hornets to win the title.

I like to root for the team that nobody thought would win it. That's the Hornets. Nobody thought much of them before the season, during the season, or even to start the playoffs.

Even after they had the 2nd best record in a tough Western Conference. Nobody thought they would win the title.

The Spurs are a wreck. Hopefully they can hold serve at home, but the series is looking lost. I cant believe how NO has completely taken them out of their game. They've played better help defense the past two games then I have seen them play all year. The Spurs have shot 58 threes in two games. Thats incredible. If they shoot more than 25 in Game 3, they are going to lose.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Bad shooting by the Celtics to start this game. Cavs could have a nice lead if Wally could make a jumper, 0 for 4 to start. I can see why KG didn't like him in Minnesota, the fucker shoots whenever he gets it, and its usually a bad shot.

Nice to see KG take over the game in the 4th. He made several big shots, including two in the last minute or so. I wish he would do it more often, but it was nice to see. Both teams played poorly, but its gotta be a concern for Boston that Bron had his worst game since the first game of the season, and they only lose by 4.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Boston definitely looked human. What I once thought was a team that would plow through the East making it look easy, is now just another good team. It's not out of the question to think the Cavs could win this series and get to the Finals again. I hope it doesn't happen, but the Celtics don't look quite like the juggernaut that ESPN and other basketball media tried to make them out to be.

Yeah he had an awful game. He's entitled. He also set Z up with two very wide open shots to keep them in the game when it was 68-65 Boston's lead. Boston played fantastic defense. Im starting to wonder if Posey is more valuable to this team then Allen. He definitely will be in this series.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Horrible 4th quarter by the Pistons. Started it down 4, end up losing by 25, what the fuck was that?

That was the Pistons being the Pistons. It wasnt an elimination game.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

You're right Nas. Kobe gets his 4th ring this year. I maintain my disagreement with you though that it's Lebron's league next year. I dont see him surpassing Bryant for 3 more years.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Maybe. I thought you said this is Kobe's last year at being the best. I still think he will be for a good 3-4 years still. He's evolving his game like Mike did, just a bit later then Mike did. Stats dont do it justice. That 1 on 3 assist to Pau at the end of the 4th was just incredible.

One thing that is annoying the hell out of me is that the refs are calling touch fouls constantly on Utah when they play him really tight starting at midcourt. I thought Kirilenko was actually doing a fantastic job, but Kobe was able to break it because the refs wouldnt allow it basically, so AK backed off.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

The Pistons mail it in so much they should get their own dead letter office.

It's also one of the reasons that some people are turned off by the NBA. Kobe doesn't have the worldwide popularity that Jordan had and that was frustrating to watch.

Might as well hand the Lakers the title. Kirilenko basically had the choice to just give him an open lane to the basket or get a foul.

Next time you are watching a game, and the other team is making a run and the Lakers lead has shrunk to 4-8 points, notice what happens. All of a sudden the other team becomes a bunch of hack artists who foul constantly.

I'm sure MJ got that treatment too, but it doesn't make it right.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

No Nas, theres a big difference. I agree Kobe should get the benefit of any doubt, but MJ never used to get those calls, because those calls didnt exist back then. Now the league has become extremely pussified and they call every hand touch foul. MJ would get a call if he took it inside or any time there was alot of contact, but they wouldnt called the defender just for playing him really tight starting at midcourt. They would at least make MJ have to earn his own shot, and then they would usually give him any benefit of doubt after that.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I'm with FavreFan on this one. Kirilenko, no matter how great of defense he played, was going to get a foul called. It is no coincidence that this happened just at the time that the Jazz were making their run.

Kobe made some amazing plays. That 3 on 1 assist was one of the best plays I've seen in years. I was starting to respect him a little more as he was leading his team well against a good team.

Then I watched as the Utah defenders stood there in disbelief as looking at Kobe became a foul.

If that's what the whole NBA playoffs are going to be, then this will severely limit my interest in them.

Let me make a prediction if the series gets back to LA for a game 5. At some point, in the fourth quarter, the game will be close. Kobe will get just a touch more aggressive and start drawing fouls while driving to the basket, including a continuation. The lead will expand and the Lakers will win.

Utah has no shot of winning a game in LA in this series if what we saw last night is how things are going to be called.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Nas,
Which is it? Is he getting calls because he's a superstar or because you can't body someone on the outside?

That was good defense, at least by Kirilenko. If good tough defense in the fourth quarter isn't allowed in the NBA then I'm going to start caring about it a lot less.

Do you disagree with the fact that as soon as the Jazz got close in the game, that the whistles came out in full force?

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Agree to disagree Nas. How can you complain in one thread about missing hard fouls, and now say in this thread that bitch ass touch fouls have always been called? I dont remember them being nearly this stingy with MJ. Yes, its obvious he got calls all the time, many which he shouldnt have. Thats not what Im arguing. Im saying Kobe is getting calls that simply werent called back then. Yes, players were allowed to body bump MJ and play him tightly as long as they didnt hand check him. Like I said, AK was playing fantastic defense last night but the refs did not even give him a chance to stop Kobe.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Just because the perception is that it happened in the past, it doesn't make it right now. Jordan got calls too. Superstars get calls but this ticky tack stuff on the outside is frustrating to watch.

Now I know that Jordan got away with stuff. He had a slight pushoff on that shot over Russel. I'm not tired of that. I grew tired of the fact that yesterday, as soon as someone played tough D, that the whistle blew. I may have been blind to all the times that it happened to Jordan, but I still don't think it was nearly that bad away from the basket. On a drive to the basket, a superstar should get all the calls.

No matter what happened in the past, it's frustrating watching Kobe get helped from the refs even if he clearly didn't need it. There was nothing Kirlilenko could have done, besides let Kobe drive to the basket, without getting a foul. This is an all defensive team player. As soon as he went up to Kobe, you could just tell a foul was coming.

Just wait until game 5, if there is a game 5. The exact same thing in the fourth quarter will happen if it's close.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

What we have here... is failure to communicate.

I've already said like three or four times that Kobe is and should be allowed to get away with shit regular players dont. He has earned the benefit of any doubt. Thats not what Im saying. Im saying dont call a foul on someone just for guarding him closely at mid court and trying to get the ball out of his hands. All we are debating is a matter of degree.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I don't know why you say that superstars should get the benefit of the calls.

I mean, I can understand you saying that it's acceptable, or that it's beneficial for casual fans' enjoyment and TV ratings because the stars shine more, but that doesn't mean they should get them.

They should get them because they've earned it. They shouldnt get phantom calls, which they do alot of times, like last night with Kobe and AK. But if its unclear or a toss up if its a foul, I think they should get the call over an average player.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

fouls in basketball are much like they are in soccer; they're an art form. and phantom calls are always a part of it...the super stars have earned a leniency on fouls because they've gone through the phantom calls in their career...

it's just the way it is.

i don't know why, but for some reason as a saints fan, it's comforting to see new orleans beating up on san antonio...

Earned what?

If they're a better player, they'll have better output. Making a shot will "earn" them 2 points. I don't see why they need extra help if they're already better.

And non-superstars haven't gone through the phantom calls? Or actually, gone through MORE since they are getting the fouls called on them when they try to guard the star?

And do all long-time veterans get this same benefit, to make up for 10 years of bad calls?